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Sprint
Cars and Outlaw Karts gear up
Kart and Championship Point
Racing premiere April 6th & 7th
By
Bob
Burbach
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Marysville CA.
Pull the belts tight. It’s time to go “Drifting at 100
MPH”. With the pre-season in the books, it’s time to
get serious at the New Marysville Raceway Park. Point
racing begins on Saturday April 7th for the big track and
Friday April 6th will be the send-off for the much
anticipated Outlaw Karts. Point racing on Saturday will
feature the two primary Sprint Car divisions. Sprint Car
racing at MRP is a wickedly fast, and dangerous
enterprise. Cars rocket along side by side with open
wheels spinning in a blur at 100 MPH. MRP Championship
Auto racing is Yuba-Sutter’s only professional sporting
event paying in excess of $250,000 in prize money this
season.
The fire breathing winged MRP Pacific Sprint Cars and the
Wingless Warriors, The MRP Wingless Sprint Car Series,
will share top billing on April 7th. The winged Pacific
Sprint Car Series will have a fast, competitive mix of
cars and stars. The odds-on favorites may well be
Nevada’s Mike Monahan (2004 champion) and young charger
Brandon Dozier of Marysville (2005 Rookie of the Year).
Monahan’s relentless hammer-down style is ideally suited
to MRP’s commitment to a smooth, hooked up surface.
Dozier is just plain thrilling to watch, period. It may
well be the year of youth, bravery and exuberance versus
maturity, experience and treachery. It’ll be a fabulous
show.
Another serious challenge may come from Grass Valley’s
Jeremy Burt. Burt cracked into the winner’s circle late
last season and has momentum on his side. Oroville’s
Shaun Amos popped into the cockpit of his dad’s hot rod
mid way through the season last year. He was quick right
out of the box and will be a strong contender if he, too
makes the commitment to seek the championship. Three-time
champion, Colby Wiesz is as quick as ever. He will be a
factor if the first few races go well for him. He won the
recent Open Competition event leading nearly wire-to-wire.
In the MRP Wingless Sprint Car Series, a couple of names
jump out as potential championship contenders. Two
lightning-fast lions of the sport will have a real chance
to showcase their collective talents. Yuba City’s Mark
Hill has shown he has what it takes to be at the head of
the pack. Right in there with Hill is Marysville’s
Jeremy Hawes. Both Hill and Hawes are graduates of MRP’s
MiniStock series and have slugged it out with the best of
them and prevailed.
Hill’s entry into the wars is long expected and long
overdue. A bizarre and painful hand injury (not racing
related) kept Hill on the sidelines for much of last
season. Kevin Sprague of Yuba City hopped into Hill’s
sleek #8 and powered his way to Rookie of the Year in last
season’s point hunt.
Hawes had a memorable 2006. While he didn’t compete in
all of the MRP races, he won; and he won big. His most
memorable victory was the closest margin of victory in
MRP’s long and storied history. Hawes made a desperate
charge in last year’s final open competition event that
still has people talking. Hawes beat six-time feature
winner, Tony Richards to the stripe by .021 of a second.
Hawes has a real shot at it.
If Richards decides to compete weekly, he’ll be a major
factor. But, his plans are unknown at this time. Last
year’s runner-up, Rick Eversult may also make the grade
to championship status. Eversult has made his plans and
will compete for the title.
The two sprint car classes will be joined by the ever
popular Nor Cal dwarf Cars and the SORA Sprint 100s for a
four-division open wheel extravaganza on Saturday April
7th.
On Friday April 6th the first MRP Outlaw Kart race will be
held. Multiple divisions of racing will inaugurate the new
d-shaped track carved into the infield of the venerable
facility. Everything from youngsters running Box Stock
racers to wheelie pulling, monster slide-job 500 Karts
will be offered.
This is a show that deserves attention.
This will be the first year that the track will be under
the guidance of new promoters Paul and Kathy Hawes.
Entering it’s 39th consecutive season of operation,
Marysville Raceway Park has undergone a wealth of changes
between seasons as Hawes’ able crews went to work to
immediately change and improve the raceway. The big track
is wider and the banking is more gradual. The higher
speeds will be complimented by a much wider track that
will allow more passing and less single groove racing. The
backstretch has been bowed to create more of a “D”
shape from the turn one entry to the turn four exit. Three
and four are wider and faster. Turns one and two will
require finesse and courage.
The pit area grandstands have been relocated and raised
onto a new, handicapped accessible ramp and concrete
promenade offering an excellent view of the entire track
for all owners and pit crewmembers. Newly planted flowers
will welcome the teams to the pit grandstand area. A
brand-new women’s restroom facility and a pit only
concession stand is now offered. Construction and
improvements continue at a feverish pace to make this the
most racer friendly pit area in California. The pits have
been greatly expanded in area allowing for plenty of room
for the competing teams. Improvements ongoing include a
completely lighted pit area with each pit having water and
electric available. The most recent photos of MRP’s
improvements are at blackflagracephotos.com.
Make our website one of your “favorites” on you
computer. marysvilleracewaypark.com is the address. Watch
this site for press releases and updates.
Pit gates open at 3PM Friday and Saturday. Mandatory Pit
meeting and pill pull is at 5PM on Saturday. Spectator
Gates Open at 5PM both nights with racing getting underway
at 7PM. Contact the promoters at 1.530.743.1327 or email
as indicated on the home page at marysvilleracewaypark.com.
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